The Federal Government has announced that members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) will receive half of their withheld salaries if President Bola Tinubu sanctions the payment of their salary arrears. This declaration was made by the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday.
Mamman clarified that the non-academic staff members of universities did not participate in the same strike period in 2022 as their academic colleagues. He emphasized that the government is diligently working towards providing relief for them.
Addressing the delay in payment to NASU and SSANU members, Mamman explained, “No, it has not been approved. There is a court judgement on no work, no pay. ASUU receiving four months’ pay was solely at the discretion of the President. Therefore, it does not automatically extend to NASU and SSANU, but the matter is currently under review.”
He added, “I cannot provide a specific timeline, but I can confirm that we are actively pursuing this matter. The non-academic staff did not strike for the same duration as the academic staff — approximately four months. Hence, if they receive payment, it will be half of that amount, following the President’s previous actions with the academic staff.”
Responding to allegations of discrimination by NASU and SSANU, the minister refuted the claims, stating, “Such assertions are unfounded. There is no hierarchy. These individuals operate within the same environment, undertaking different roles but collectively striving towards a common objective. Initially, it was a miscommunication issue rather than a deliberate exclusion from receiving benefits.”
In March, SSANU and NASU members staged a one-week warning strike to protest the non-payment of their salaries by the Federal Government. The unions criticized the government for disbursing withheld salaries to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) while overlooking the non-academic unions.
During an eight-month strike in 2022 to advocate for various demands, including improved welfare, the unions faced the ‘No Work, No Pay policy’ enforced by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. However, President Bola Tinubu approved the release of four out of the eight months of withheld salaries last October.
SSANU and NASU accused the Federal Government of unfair treatment and discrimination by failing to compensate them in a manner similar to their academic counterparts.
